New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-19
THE VEDDER BILL
WHY REPUBLICANS SHOULD sUppoR


JUDGE DAVIS SAYS THE SALOONS SHOULD BE
HEAVILY TAxgD--THE PARrY's RESPONSIBILITY.
To TIE Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR The defeat OF the yedder bill would cast fearful
responsibility upon the Republican party as vol a.
upon the individual Republicans who It, No one
doubt that the quorsaloors impose upon tho taxs
payers Of the State enormous share of the taxes
borne by the people They directly responsible fer
by far part Of the crime unacies and psuper
Ism that fill prisons and poorhouses houses refuge
and reform hospitals and asylums with tenants whom
the honest industry Of the country must support We
roan under our load Of taxation and yet let the chief
cause that produces and piles II upon almost wholly
cape its burdens What Is there In tquor-seng that
entities 1t such immunity Every other business has
to pay its share and why should this business not bear
Its proportion In some degree measured By its ratio as
causef
The saloon exists only because Of the immensely profit
able character of its business. No trade or vocation
compares with 1t in profits No man would be drunk
ark maker be could not make money by II so easily and
50 fast AyarIce lies at the bottom Of the whole evil
Hatdecentmen ashamed Of it chat they hide their
business and their customers behind blinded windows
and hafhut DOORS and would hasten to abandon IL Dut
for Its profits In some Instances the business
mas be kept up because It manufactures Democrats or
breeds renegade Republicans ready at all times to do Its
dirty work But as rule the sole reason for the ex
stence of tho dramshop Is the easy cash it brings In
Why then as a measure Of simple justice 70 the tax
payers the State should man hesitate TO say 10
this business Hand share OF your large prohts
help pay the taxes cause Take hand In our
side OF the for once and become payer OK taxes "a
well as a causer"f
Is there anything unfair In that But says the DRAM
seller, "the tar will stop injure my business"
Very well then stop business II 1t Is not profitable
enough pay portion OF the taxes II causes Stop
making taxes and you stop paying. Nobody compois
you TO pay unless you take license TO make The remedy
Al fraa1v 0fh ia
in other business Stop and you safe from the tax
yatherer But you will go and make drunk who
commit which must be punished, or paupers VINO
must be supported stand up like men and contribute
part of your profits to help pay the expenses Oh trying
or supporting them.
Now the Veider law seeks TO bring the up
to this duty, and just FAR it accompshes It, it re-
eyes the honest xpayers OF the State from main tain
ing the producers OF I'm business that adds TO thas
evil so much shame that falls upon every commu
nifty where criminals, tramps, paupers and beggars
abound True seeks its revenues so far
as practicable from the luxes and evils OF necessity
that 1t reach. Because that relieves and promotes
honest industry II 1t possible to make every GRIM
nal pay expenses OF his arrest trial ana punish
ment that would be wise and just measure But Tor
the most part the saloon has first stripped him Oh Ali means
to do it, The law then should look behind him TO ind
the chief of mis- crimes and woes and demand re-
dress so far may be from that cause.
The Democrats will not do this In the Legislature
they stand solid against itand whyi The grog-shop Is
the buwark Of their party organization, or, as mke
Walsh put It, "The grocery is the nursery OF De-
mocraey" He was a bold aud honest Democrat VINO
dared speak the truth Seeing this solid action OF the De-
mocracy In the House, what Republican can hesitate 70
support measure which at blow relieves taxpayers
from bearing unjust impostions ana strikes down some
al least Of the breeders OF our party foesl
There no honest honorable pretext under which
Republican can hide the shame Of such vote. There
no vedder bill that can justify it. Tho
saloon should pay proportion to the profit 1t makes
and the injury does; but that cannot be exacin
equality reasonable approximation is all that can be
demanded. A saloon in New-York or Brooklyn must
and does have an enormous patronage It gets higher
prices from train OF customers tenfold larger than
little country saloon ITS tax must DO greater or there
ia no equality But II there be inequality, experience Will
correct it. Another Legislature can amend any unequal
provision and in that view every Republican should now
vote for the vsdder bill great advance In the d.
rection Of sound principles OF taxation leaving iii
proye necessary the duty OF perfecting the law to
future Legislatures not one of which will ever dare
wholly TO repeal it. Truly yours, NOAH DAVIS
| Ne,o- York, May, Is, 1887.